The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine

By Michael Lewis

Book Summary

The #1 New York Times bestseller: "It is the work of our greatest financial journalist, at the top of his game. And it's essential reading."—Graydon Carter, Vanity Fair
The real story of the crash began in bizarre feeder markets where the sun doesn't shine and the SEC doesn't dare, or bother, to tread: the bond and real estate derivative markets where geeks invent impenetrable securities to profit from the misery of lower- and middle-class Americans who can't pay their debts. The smart people who understood what was or might be happening were paralyzed by hope and fear; in any case, they weren't talking.

Michael Lewis creates a fresh, character-driven narrative brimming with indignation and dark humor, a fitting sequel to his #1 bestseller Liar's Poker. Out of a handful of unlikely-really unlikely-heroes, Lewis fashions a story as compelling and unusual as any of his earlier bestsellers, proving yet again that he is the finest and funniest chronicler of our time.

Latest Reviews

Phenomenal

Loved this book. Couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this to anyone. I plan on reading it again in the near future.

Engaging

4

By Findoil

I could not put this book down. Great job Michael Lewis!

Close but no cigar

5

By PeachBeachBravo

IMHO
Politicians authored the housing market crash. Wall Street firms capitalized on it. When I attended a sales meeting in 2003 and a "trusted lender" pronounced that 'anyone with a heartbeat can qualify' for a home mortgage loan, I knew then that the end was near. And so it was in 2005 in the Philadelphia area real estate market.
ML Durham-Butler REALTOR

Great Read

5

By Gps + some

If you are really interested in getting an understanding of the 2008 financial collapse, this is the book to read. It not only gives you a great insight into the world of subprime mortgage bonds, but it even teaches you a thing or two about Wall Street in general.

Read this Book

5

By Zinguy

If you read nothing else before this years presidential election you should read this book.
The author takes great pains to couch complicated financial concepts into easy to understand explanations.
The book is entertaining as well as informative making it an enjoyable if also disturbing read.

As always..

5

By keacam

Michael Lewis hits a home run. His writing and the content are engrossing and educating. I enjoyed this book immensely as I do all his books.

Disgusting

5

By Jak4971

Loved this book but it reminded me, in a way, of Washington DC with an isolated group of people with giant egos who believe they can never be wrong. The book reveals gross arrogance and incompetence in financial markets that nearly crippled the US economy. They manipulated everything in pursuit of their obscene bonuses and no thought to the lives and institutions they destroyed

A must read

5

By Gearedup3567

Excellent book. Never a dull moment and all the facts were on point. Truly a great narrative that shares the facts so anyone can read them.